I have both Shimano mtb and road shoes, and have found that what I really need, if at all possible, is a shoe with a more rounded toe area. I have problems with my feet that require more openess there. I have not looked at a lot of shoes, but most seem to be pretty pointed. My mtb shoes are a size too large, and don't cause as many problems, but talk about having your feet slip inside the shoe! Any ideas would really help.

Carnac...........nm

africanJul 27, 2002 2:52 PM

yeah...get the heaviest shoe out there!(nm)

merckx56Jul 27, 2002 3:21 PM

I will trade a few grams for comfort anyday!nm

JustrideJul 27, 2002 5:43 PM

some math...

merckx56Jul 27, 2002 6:16 PM

carnac quartz weigh 756 grams per shoe versus a sidi genius 4 at 560 per shoe. that's 194 grams per shoe for a total of 388, which is .855 pounds of rotational weight. yes, your feet go around. there are lighter shoes out there too.
I wore a pair of carnac ellipse shoes for about two weeks and found them to be quite heavy and not very stiff. and for $249 dollars? everyone has preferences and different fit factors that will affect their shoe purchase. price SHOULDN'T be one of these! if you like the carnacs, great.
i'm just pointing out the fact that they are boat anchors! i mean jeez, their flip-flops weigh almost 550!

weight vs comfort......

JustrideJul 27, 2002 6:28 PM

I am just saying that if your feet hurt too bad to ride very far it does not matter how much your shoes weigh. If you are a serious racer it may be a real issue but the average recreational cyclist will not feel the difference after a few rides IMHO.

Serious Racer......

jromackJul 27, 2002 7:21 PM

Doesn't seem to bother George Hincappie, he likes his Carnacs just fine.

Serious Racer......

merckx56Jul 28, 2002 4:51 AM

a paycheck has a way of making things more comfortable! george says he loves the c's and will always wear them, but I bet if northwave threw cipo $ at him he'd say that northwave are the best shoes ever!

Or Northwave.

jtollesonJul 27, 2002 6:50 PM

Carnac and Northwave dominate the "wide forefoot" market and make nice shoes. Some folks will steer you towards the Sidi Megas, but remember they are wider ALL OVER, which means for some folks they are too big in the heel.

Or Northwave.

TUT2222Jul 27, 2002 7:00 PM

Thanks all for your help, I have been checking websites about all the shoes mentioned. And if it helps to narrow my choices down(as far as everyones advice), my feet are actually a bit on the narrow side, but due to some nerve or other problems(hopefully not related to my diabetes), I need the room in the toes. I have a problem with regular shoes just as well, but I certainly have a lot more options choosing street shoes, than I do with biking shoes.

Or Northwave.

look271Jul 28, 2002 4:53 PM

I'd really check out the Northwaves. I just got a pair of their arctic road shoes @ http://www.sierratradingpost.com
and they fit me great.I have narrow heels with a fairly side fore foot. They also have some Nortwave road shoes in limited sizes w/ really good prices. You may want to check it out.

Lake cycling shoes..............................

JustrideJul 27, 2002 6:17 PM

Some models of Lake shoes have the toe profile you need. I have a pair and the only negative is that they are a tad heavier than my old Sidi shoes but they fit much better. Pearl Izumi Vapers also have a roomy round toe box.

diadora and specialized

dmitriJul 27, 2002 8:25 PM

I just tried a pair of shimano's today and experienced the same problem. I also tried the diadora's and found them to be roomier in the toe box area without being too wide for the rest of the foot (nice). Specialized is another shoe that offers a fuller fit for the toe box and has a similar cut to the shimano's but does not offer half sizes and is not as stiff. best of luck.

diadora and specialized

cam3Jul 28, 2002 2:54 PM

Diadora suck! I have some and hate them. They are fine until they get wet, then they stretch and become incredibly uncomfortable.

re: Help with finding a shoe

RickMTBJul 28, 2002 7:23 AM

What you need is a show with a roomier (wider) toe box. Search using that and you will probably find that most folks find the following shoes with roomier toe boxes: Lake, Carnac, and Pearl Izumi. I just purchased the Pearl Izumi Vapors... they make three models ($75, $109, $179). The Carnac starts around $200. The Northwave is supposed to be pretty roomy but never saw one to judge.

Narrower shoes include Nike and Sidi (except there Mega models, but those are wide everywhere).